Predictive Value of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Risk Stratification and Molecular Classification of Endometrial Cancer.

This study evaluated the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of endometrial cancer (EC) patients and identified differences based on risk group and molecular classification. The study involved a total of 175 EC patients. The MRI data were retrospectively reviewed and compared based on the risk of recurrence. Additionally, the associations between imaging phenotypes and genomic signatures were assessed. The low-risk and non-low-risk groups (intermediate, high-intermediate, high, metastatic) showed significant differences in tumor diameter (p < 0.001), signal intensity and heterogeneity on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) (p = 0.003), deep myometrial invasion (involvement of more than 50% of the myometrium), cervical invasion (p < 0.001), extrauterine extension (p = 0.002), and lymphadenopathy (p = 0.003). Greater diffusion restriction and more heterogeneity on DWI were exhibited in the non-low-risk group than in the low-risk group. Deep myometrial invasion, cervical invasion, extrauterine extension, lymphadenopathy, recurrence, and stage discrepancy were more common in the non-low-risk group (p < 0.001). A significant difference in microsatellite stability status was observed in the heterogeneity of the contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images (p = 0.027). However, no significant differences were found in MRI parameters related to TP53 mutation. MRI features can be valuable predictors for differentiating risk groups in patients with EC. However, further investigations are needed to explore the imaging markers based on molecular classification.

Integrated assessment of the natural purification capacity of tidal flat for persistent toxic substances and heavy metals in contaminated sediments.

Natural purification of pollutants is highly recognized as regulating ecosystem services; however, the purification capacity of tidal flats remains largely unknown and/or unquantified. A 60-day mesocosm transplant experiment was conducted in situ to assess the purification capacity of natural tidal flats. We adopted the advanced sediment quality triad approach, monitoring 10 endpoints, including chemical reduction, toxicity changes, and community recoveries. The results indicated that contaminated sediments rapidly recovered over time, particularly > 50% within a day, then slowly recovered up to âˆ¼ 70% in a given period (60 days). A significant early reduction of parent pollutants was evidenced across all treatments, primarily due to active bacterial decomposition. Notably, the presence of benthic fauna and vegetated halophytes in the treatments significantly enhanced the purification of pollutants in both efficacy and efficiency. A forecast linear modeling further suggested additive effects of biota on the natural purification of tidal flats, reducing a full recovery time from 500 to 300 days. Overall, the triad approach with machine learning practices successfully demonstrated quantitative insight into the integrated assessment of natural purification.

Best available technique for the recovery of marine benthic communities in a gravel shore after the oil spill: A mesocosm-based sediment triad assessment.

Ecotoxicological effects of spilled oils are well documented, but study of recovery of marine benthic communities is limited. Long-term recovery of hard bottom communities during physical and biological remediations after a spill was monitored. A 60-day experiment was conducted using a mesocosm with monitoring of eight endpoints by use of the sediment quality triad (SQT). First, physical treatment of hot water + high pressure flushing maximally removed residual oils (max=93%), showing the greatest recovery among SQT variables (mean=72%). Physical cleanup generally involved adverse effects such as depression of the microphytobenthic community during the initial period. Next, biological treatments, such as fertilizer, emulsifier, enzyme and augmentation of the microbes, all facilitated removal of oil (max=66%) enhancing ecological recovery. Analysis of the microbiome confirmed that oil-degrading bacteria, such as Dietzia sp. and Rosevarius sp. were present. A mixed bioremediation, including fertilizer + multi-enzyme + microbes (FMeM) maximized efficacy of remediation as indicated by SQT parameters (mean=47%). Natural attenuation with "no treatment" showed comparable recovery to other remediations. Considering economic availability, environmental performance, and technical applicability, of currently available techniques, combined treatments of physical removal via hand wiping followed by FMeM could be most effective for recovery of the rocky shore benthic community.

Spatiotemporal variation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) associated with the microphytobenthos of tidal flats in the Yellow Sea.

The physical functions of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), viz., by-product of microphytobenthos (MPB), in tidal flat system are well documented, but some ecological aspects remain unknown. We investigated MPB biomass (Chl-a), EPS, diatom assemblage, and erodibility in two contrasting tidal flat environments (megatidal vs. macrotidal flat) in the Yellow Sea. Thick biofilms were observed when MPB bloomed, with high Chl-a and increased EPS concentrations. Among diatom genera, Navicula was the most dominant taxa found over the year (mean 41%) in both areas. Compared with non-bloom periods, the erodibility decreased by 54-73% as biofilm thickened during the blooms. It was attributed to the elevated abundance of large-sized (>40 µm) Navicula, which was expected to secrete large amounts of EPS. Overall, we successfully demonstrated spatiotemporal differences of sediment stabilization that significantly related to ecological variations of MPB, and identified the key diatom genus as a "sediment stabilizer" in the typical tidal flats of the Yellow Sea.

Shift in polar benthic community structure in a fast retreating glacial area of Marian Cove, West Antarctica.

Glacier retreat is a major long-standing global issue; however, the ecological impacts of such retreats on marine organisms remain unanswered. Here, we examined changes to the polar benthic community structure of "diatoms" under current global warming in a recently retreated glacial area of Marian Cove, Antarctica. The environments and spatiotemporal assemblages of benthic diatoms surveyed in 2018-2019 significantly varied between the intertidal (tidal height of 2.5 m) and subtidal zone (10 and 30 m). A distinct floral distribution along the cove (~ 4.5 km) was characterized by the adaptive strategy of species present, with chain-forming species predominating near the glacier. The predominant chain-forming diatoms, such as Fragilaria striatula and Paralia sp., are widely distributed in the innermost cove over years, indicating sensitive responses of benthic species to the fast-evolving polar environment. The site-specific and substrate-dependent distributions of certain indicator species (e.g., F. striatula, Navicula glaciei, Cocconeis cf. pinnata) generally reflected such shifts in the benthic community. Our review revealed that the inner glacier region reflected trophic association, featured with higher diversity, abundance, and biomass of benthic diatoms and macrofauna. Overall, the polar benthic community shift observed along the cove generally represented changing environmental conditions, (in)directly linked to ice-melting due to the recent glacier retreat.

Natural and anthropogenic impacts on long-term meiobenthic communities in two contrasting nearshore habitats.

The present study investigated the spatiotemporal distributions of meiofauna and corresponding environmental variables in two different subtidal environments. The two habitats represent unique geographical localities; (1) Jinhae Bay for semi-enclosed industrial bay (under anthropogenic pressure) and (2) Samcheok coast for open sea area (rather in natural condition) in Korea. Biotic and abiotic data were seasonally collected from six monitoring stations in each area for 3 years (2013-16) at two study areas and all the data were comparatively analyzed. First, abiotic data such as sediment properties and water quality parameters showed significant variations in time (season/year) and space (site/area) cross the study areas and within sites in each area. Second, meiofauna assemblages, such as number of taxa, abundance, and composition, greatly varied between seasons and localities, reflecting (in)direct association(s) to local activities and/or environmental gradients. Of note, the Jinhae Bay community was directly influenced by a hypoxia during summer season. In general, the site-specific variations rather prevailed masking seasonal fluctuations, indicating significance of both oceanographic settings and terrestrial land use activities. Among the environmental parameters measured, sediment grain size appeared to be the key factor in determining the meiofaunal assemblages and distributions, particularly under natural condition shown at Samcheok. Altogether, clear separations in meiofaunal community cross sites (inner vs. outer stations) and areas (enclosed industrial bay vs. open sea) implied anthropogenic pressures and certain impacted boundaries. In addition, association of benthic communities to anthropogenic environments seemed to prevail in macrofaunal community, being simultaneously influenced by abiotic seasonal fluctuations. Overall, two contrasting nearshore habitats exhibited typical spatiotemporal distributions of subtidal benthic communities being collectively influenced by anthropogenic stresses and site-specific environmental gradients.

Spatiotemporal variations in macrofaunal assemblages linked to site-specific environmental factors in two contrasting nearshore habitats.

A long-term study on a benthic community was conducted in two different localities, one in semi-enclosed bay of Jinhae (n = 10, south coast) and the other in open sea area of Samcheok (n = 10, east coast), Korea, respectively. We aimed to identify the spatiotemporal patterns of macrozoobenthos and the environmental variables influencing such patterns in the two contrasting habitats. The macrozoobenthos assemblages on the soft bottom of the subtidal zone were analyzed over the 3 years, encompassing 12 consecutive seasons, in 2013-2016. Among the 22 environmental variables measured, organic matter, dissolved oxygen, mean grain size, and water depth showed clear differences between two study areas. Accordingly, several ecological indices (such as the number of species, abundance, dominant species, and diversity index (H')) generally reflected site-specific benthic conditions. The macrofaunal community in the Jinhae showed typical seasonal fluctuations, whereas the Samcheok community showed no significant change over time and space. Region- or site-dependent temporal variabilities of macrofaunal assemblages are depicted through cluster analysis (CA), indicating distinct temporal changes in the composition of dominant species. In particular, the abundance of some dominant species noticeably declined in certain seasons when several opportunistic species peaked. Such faunal succession might be explained by significant changes to specific environmental factors, such as bottom dissolved oxygen, grain size, and water depth. Principle component analysis further identified major environmental factors, i.e., sediment properties in Jinhae and water quality parameters in Samcheok community, respectively. In addition, discriminant analysis confirmed the presence of several site-specific parameters for the faunal assemblage groups identified through CA. Finally, indicator value analysis identified species that were representative across stations and regions in accordance with their habitat preference and/or species tolerance. Overall, the two contrasting nearshore habitats showed distinct community differences, in time and space, that were influenced by site-dependent environmental conditions.

Digital analysis yields more reliable and accurate measures of dermal and epidermal thickness in histologically processed specimens compared to traditional methods.

Changes in the thickness of the dermis and epidermis have been described in the scenario of tissue expansion as well as inflammatory skin processes (psoriasis, contact hypersensitivity and so on). These changes have previously been quantified using ocular micrometers to obtain and then average a limited number of spot measurements, leading to suboptimal accuracy. We describe a rapid method of using freely available ImageJ software to analyze digitized images of fixed skin specimens. By determining the cross-sectional area and surface length of a skin layer, a simple calculation produces more accurate and reproducible measurements of its thickness compared to historical methods, with excellent inter-rater reliability.

Molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from a Korean hospital that carry blaOXA-23.

To elucidate the epidemicity of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), we investigated the antimicrobial susceptibility, the genetic basis of antimicrobial resistance, and the ability to form biofilms of 147 CRAB isolates collected between 2013 and 2015 from a Korean hospital based on sequence types (STs). Six different STs were identified: ST191 (n=47) and ST208 (n=36) were clones that had already been identified in the study hospital, whereas ST229 (n=28), ST369 (n=18), ST357 (n=17), and ST552 (n=1) were previously unknown. All the CRAB isolates exhibited an extensively drug-resistance. Twelve isolates, including ST191 and ST208, were resistant to tigecycline, and two were resistant to colistin. All the isolates carried ISAbaI-blaOXA-23 structures. The presence of the armA gene and/or a combination of aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme genes (aacC1, aadA1, aacA4, aphA1, and aphA6) was responsible for high-level resistance to aminoglycosides (minimal inhibitory concentrations≥256mg/L). All the ST229 isolates carried the blaPER-1 gene, whereas all the ST357 and ST369 isolates carried both aacA4 and aadA1. The ST229 isolates exhibited the greatest tendency to form biofilms, whereas the ST369 isolates exhibited significantly less tendency to form biofilms than other isolates. In conclusion, we discovered clonal diversity in the CRAB isolates from the study hospital. The resistant gene profiles and biofilm formation capabilities of the emerging CRAB STs differed from those of the circulating STs. The potential relationship between these genotypic and phenotypic traits and the epidemic capacity of CRAB STs requires further investigation.

Impacts of environmental and anthropogenic stresses on macrozoobenthic communities in Jinhae Bay, Korea.

In this study, spatiotemporal dynamics of macrofaunal assemblages and their associations with environmental conditions were examined in Jinhae Bay (10 sites), where the obvious sources of pollution including industries, oyster farms (hanging cultures), and municipal discharges has surrounded. The survey had performed over five consecutive seasons in 2013-2014. Target sedimentary variables included grain size, organic content, C/N ratio, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios, and some heavy metals. Five ecological quality indices (EcoQ) were calculated from the benthic community data to evaluate ecological qualities in site-specific manner. Jinhae Bay is a shallow (depths range, 11-24 m) and typical semi-enclosed bay. The benthic environments represented mud dominated bottoms (>70%) with fairly substantial organic content levels (>2%) over all five seasons. Seasonal patterns were observed with peak abundances in the spring and distinctive macrozoobenthos species shifts in the summer. The spring bloom could be explained by drastic increases of some polychaetes, mainly Capitella sp., at certain site, particularly near the shore. The oyster farms situated in the innermost locations seem to provide organic-rich bottoms being dominated by opportunistic species and/or organic pollution indicator species, such as Lumbrineris longifolia, Capitella sp., and Paraprionospio patiens. In general, the EcoQ indicators indicated that Jinhae Bay was moderately polluted, with exceptionally poor EcoQ in a few locations during the specific season(s). Overall, adverse effects on benthic community was broadly attributable to contaminations of heavy metals and nearby aquatic farm activities in Jinhae Bay, which requires a prompt action toward ecosystem-based management practice in the given area.

The buccofacial wall of maxillary sinus: an anatomical consideration for sinus augmentation.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to quantify the thickness of the buccofacial wall of the maxillary sinus where sinus augmentations are often performed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen sites located 15 and 20 mm superior to the anatomical cervical line (named as groups H15 and H20, respectively) and along the long axes of the mid and the interproximal of two premolars and two molars were measured from 74 Korean hemiface cadavers. RESULTS: The buccofacial wall of the maxillary sinus was thinnest at the area between the maxillary second premolar and first molar in groups H15 and H20. The lowest mean thickness was 1.2 mm in both groups. The walls were thicker in males than in females, with statistically significant gender differences found at four and two sites on the anterior horizontal reference in groups H15 and H20, respectively. However, the thickness did not differ significantly with age or laterality. Incomplete septa were found in seven of the 74 specimens, and they were present in the area between the first and second molars in six (86%) of these cases. CONCLUSIONS: These observations indicate that anatomical characteristics of the buccofacial wall thickness of the maxillary sinus need to be considered when performing a window opening procedure for sinus augmentation.

Clinical implications of the topography and distribution of the posterior superior alveolar artery.

The aim of this study was to clarify the arrangement of the anatomic courses and distribution of the intraosseous branch (IObr) of posterior superior alveolar artery. The anatomic variations in the topographic relationships were described to provide beneficial data to minimize injury to the IObr during surgical procedure of the buccal wall of the maxillary sinus. The IObrs in 42 hemifaces of embalmed Korean cadavers were examined. The courses of the IObr of the posterior superior alveolar artery were classified into 2 categories: the straight (type 1) and the U-shaped (type 2). The type 1 was the most common (78.1%), and the type 2 was observed in 21.9% of the specimens. The minimum mean height from the cervix to the IObr was 21.1 mm in the first molar region. The IObr ran at the lowest level from the maxillary sinus floor at the first premolar region. These anatomic findings in the current study could represent useful information for the various surgical procedures of the maxilla.

Inaudible temporomandibular joint vibrations.

The aim was to test the hypothesis that inaudible vibrations with significant amounts of energy increasing during jaw movements can be recorded in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) area. Twenty one subjects, who could perform wide opening movements without feeling discomfort, 12 with and 9 without TMJ sounds audible at conventional auscultation with a stethoscope, were included. Recordings were made during opening-closing, 2/s without tooth contact, and during mandibular rest, using accelerometers with a flat frequency response between the filter cutoff frequencies 0.1 Hz and 1000 Hz. The signals were digitized using a 24 bits card and sampled with the rate 96000 Hz. Power spectral analyses, and independent and paired samples t-tests were used in the analysis of the vibration power observed in frequency bands corresponding to audible and inaudible frequencies. An alpha-level of 5% was chosen for accepting a difference as being significant. In the group with audible sounds, about 47% of the total vibration energy was in the inaudible area below 20 Hz during opening-closing and about 76% during mandibular rest. In the group without audible sounds, the corresponding proportions were significantly different, 85% vs. 69%. The energy content of the vibrations, both those below and those above 20 Hz, increased significantly during jaw movement in both groups. Furthermore, percentage of signal energy above 20 Hz showed a noticeable increase in the group of subjects with audible sounds. This can physically be explained by decreased damping properties of damaged tissues surrounding the TMJ. Vibrations in the TMJ area can be observed with significant portions in the inaudible area below 20 Hz both during mandibular rest and during jaw movements whether or not the subjects have audible joint sounds. Further studies are needed to identify sources and evaluate possible diagnostic value.

The influence of ceramic surface treatments on the tensile bond strength of composite resin to all-ceramic coping materials.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: An increasing demand for esthetic restorations has resulted in the development of new ceramic systems, but the fracture of veneering ceramics still remains the primary cause of failure. Porcelain repair frequently involves replacement with composite resin, but the bond strength between composite resin and all-ceramic coping materials has not been studied extensively. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tensile bond strength of composite resin to 3 different all-ceramic coping materials with various surface treatments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty specimens (10 x 10 x 2 mm) each of lithium-disilicate ceramic (IPS Empress2 [E]), alumina ceramic (In-Ceram Alumina [I]), and zirconia ceramic (Zi-Ceram [Z]) were fabricated. Feldspathic ceramic (Duceram Plus [F]) was used as the control. Each material was divided into 3 groups (n=10), and 3 different surface treatments were performed: airborne-particle abrasion with 50-microm alumina particles (Ab); airborne-particle abrasion with 50-microm alumina particles and acid etching with 4% hydrofluoric acid (Ae); or airborne-particle abrasion with 30-microm alumina particles modified with silica acid (Si). After surface treatment of ceramic specimens, composite resin cylinders (5-mm diameter x 10-mm height) were light polymerized onto the ceramic specimens. Each specimen was subjected to a tensile load at a crosshead speed of 2 mm/min until fracture. The fracture sites were examined with scanning electron microscopy to determine the location of failure during debonding and to examine the surface treatment effects. Two-way analysis of variance and the Duncan multiple comparison test (alpha=.05) were used to analyze the bond strength values. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the bond strengths for both ceramics (P<.001) and surface treatments (P<.001) and the interaction (P<.001). The Duncan analysis yielded the following statistical subsets of the bond strength values: (FAe, ISi, EAe, ZSi) > FAb > (FSi, EAb, ESi) (IAb, IAe) > (ZAe, ZAb). The results illustrate no differences within the parentheses but statistically significant differences among the groups. CONCLUSION: Alumina and zirconia ceramic specimens treated with a silica coating technique, and lithium disilicate ceramic specimens treated with airborne-particle abrasion and acid etching yielded the highest tensile bond strength values to a composite resin for the materials tested.